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News Analysis: The Amazon Kindle is selling extremely well. Although some may wonder if Apple will take down the e-reader next year, it seems more likely now than ever that it will fare just fine.

Amazon.com announced Dec. 27 that the company's third-generationKindleisnowthetop-sellingproduct it has ever offered. With that news, some in the tech industry were undoubtedly taken aback, especially considering that Apple, the company that typically wins out in battles over consumer electronics, hasn't been able to outright dominate the Kindle.

Of course, that hasn't stopped the naysayers from coming out and saying the Kindle won't be able to repeat its success in 2011. It's a mantra that the market has been hearing for quite some time. And, in each case, those who deny Amazon's chances of performing well are proved wrong. Going into next year, all the naysayers will likely experience the same result.

Read on to find out why 2011 will be an even better year for Amazon and its Kindle.

1. Sales are up

Further reading

Sales are usually the best indicator of whether a device will have a solid future. At least when it comes to the Kindle, salesremain remarkably strong. Considering the 3G e-reader is now the top-selling product on Amazon.com, there's no reason to suggest that won't continue going into 2011. The Kindle has struck a chord with consumers, and that won't change in a matter of months.

2. E-readers are hot

Although they're distracted by so many other options, consumers around the world still love to read. The only difference is that more people are doing it with e-readers these days than they used to. That might be a problem for book publishers, but it's good news for Amazon. As the market continues to move toward e-readers-Gartner expects better than 68 percent growth in 2011 alone-the Kindle will be well-positioned for continued growth in 2011.

3. The iPad is helping

AlthoughtheiPadisacompetitortotheKindle, it's ironically helping Amazon sell more e-readers. When Apple first announced its tablet and showed off iBooks, it made the mainstream pay more attention to the e-reader market. Although many of those folks opted for the iPad, there were still many others who saw value in e-books but opted for Amazon's product simply because it was more affordable (and has received high marks from reviewers).

4. Remember the mobile app

Amazon is offering more than just an e-reader to consumers. In fact, owners of smartphones and tablets can download Amazon's mobile application, allowing them to choose from and read the online retailer's collection of books on their respective devices. That doesn't necessarily help Kindle sales, but if nothing else, it keeps Amazon relevant in the e-book market. That could actually help drive stronger sales of future Kindle models.